Educational device.



G. DADD.

EDUCATIONAL DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 1 1913.

1,085,405, Patented Jain. 27, 19M

Inventor. W BY UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEOFFREY DADD, OF WALLINGTON, ENGLAND.

EDUCATIONAL DEVICE.

To all whom '1' 2? m (13 concern Be it known that I, GEOFFREY DADD, asubject of the King of Great Britain, residing in lVallington, in thecounty of Surrey, Eng land, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Educational Devices, of which the following is aspecification.

This .invention relates to an improved device for educational purposes,and it has for its object to provide a device whereby the teaching ofthe order of the alphabet, spelling and the meanings of words and otherknowledge, may be accomplished without the aid of an instructor.

Now according to the present invention, I employ a number of blocks,disks or pieces of suitable material bearing the letters of the alphabetor other signs 01' words, and which are so constructed that they may beassembled only in a predetermined order or position after the manner ofa puzzle. While the shape of the aforesaid blocks, disks, or pieces ofmaterial may be varied as may be found most suitable, the invention mayin one form be embodied in disks with a letter upon each, the said diskspresenting the outline of a segment of a circle of greater dimensionsthan a semicircle, and having upon its periphery indentations ofcircular or other form. A tablet plate card or surface is employedhaving recesses of the same dimensions and outline as the outline of theaforesaid disks. Each indentation is placed at a different point of theperiphery of the disk, and a corresponding projection is formed in therecess destined to receive the disk. The indentations are of suchdimensions that they shall not assume sufficient importance to cause achild to identify the disks by their. outline rather than by thecharacter or letter upon them. The outline of the disks and the positionof the indentations is such that no two disks bearing different letterswill fit the same recess. By this means by employing a card having, forexample, the representation of an animal, and with recesses thereon ofan outline corresponding to the disks bearing the letters spelling theanimals name, such recesses being arranged in their proper order, thechild on placing the disks in their appropriate recesses will be taughtautomatically as it were, first how to spell the name of the animal, andassuming the animal is notknown to it, both the name and how to spellit. Inasmuch as the letter upon the Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed January 14, 1913.

Patented Jan. 27, 1914.

Serial No. 742,034.

disk is the most prominent distinguishing feature, it may safely beassumed that the child will be more likely to remember the letters thanthe shape of the disks bearing them.

In order that the invention may be the better understood drawings areappended in which Figure 1. shows some examples of disks employed inaccordance with this invention. Fig. 2. is a plan of a card or tabletwith the disks in position. Fig. 3. is a section on line A A Fig. 2.

In the accompanying drawings a indicates disks such as those alreadyreferred to and which disks are segments of circles having at someportion of their periphery a recess a. The disks as already describedare designed to fit cavities or recesses formed in a tablet or surfacesuch for example as 1), Figs. 2 and 3, and which cavities or recesses bare of an outline corresponding to theoutline of the particular disksdestined to be placed therein. The tablet also bears an illustration ofthe object of which the name is spelled by the letters on the disks whensaid disks are placed in their appropriate recesses.

Obviously the system may be extended beyond the limits of the veryelementary educational purposes above described, and it may be employedfor the teaching of various subjects to children who are able to read.For example, cards may be provided with recesses as aforesaid, butinstead of bearing letters, the various cards may bear questions orportions of questions, or answers to the questions printed upon thecards or portions of the said answers, the proper assembly of the disksproviding the answers.

The shape of the disks is obviously not limited to that described, asinstead of this shape, any other suitable outline may be se lected.Again the disks, blocks or pieces may be intended for connection one toanother, the means of connection being .such that only predeterminedbodies can be coupled or connected in a specified sequence or order.

Instead of printing or otherwise permanently indicatlng the letters,signs or words upon the disks, blocks, or the like and the tablets,plates, cards or surfaces in which the recesses are formed, the saidblocks or disks and the tablets may be of such material or be providedwith a surface of such a nature thereon by means of chalk or other meansthat may be readily erased. By this means one set of disks or the likemay be employed which may serve for a number of educational purposes theletters orthe like being changed according to the particular subject itis desired to teach.

Claims:

1. An educational device consisting of a member adapted to carry anillustration and formed with a series of recesses, the edges of whichrecesses have substantially similar general outlines, each recess havinga portion of its edge forming a key and located differently from thelike portion of the other recesses, and disks adapted to carry lettersfor cooperating with said member, said edgeformed key being so arrangedthat no tWo disks excepting those bearing the same symbol will fit inone recess.

2. An educational device comprising a board having a surface providedWith an illustration and having a plurality of recesses formed therein,the general outlines of the edges of the recesses being substantiallysimilar and disks adapted to carry matter 00- operating with theillustration and adapted to snugly fit in the recesses, said disks andsaid recess edges having cooperating interfitting portions, and notches,said interfitting portions and notches being differently located on saidedges and disks, so that no two disks, excepting those bearing the samesymbol Wlll fit in one recess. a

3. An educational device consisting of a board having a surface providedwith recesses formed therein, said recesses having edges of substantialsemi-circular formation, with portions of said edges parallel to theadjacent edge of the board, said edges having portions projecting intothe recesses, and a series of disks provided. with reading mattercooperating With the illustration and having edges corresponding to theedges of the recesses and notches to receive said projecting portions,said disks being so shaped that no two disks except those bearing thesame symbol will'fit in the same recess.

In Witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of thetWo undersigned Witnesses.

, GEOFFREY DADD. Witnesses:

JOHN H. SARD, EDMUND H. HARBERD.

